Keeping up with kitchen trends

Struggling to keep up with kitchen trends that can add style and sophistication to your home? Thanks to Belinda Jackson, you can maintain a fantastic kitchen that lasts the ages.

What trends are popular in kitchen design overseas?

Induction stoves are now popular in Europe and Asia. They are great if you've got kids because, unlike gas flames or electric stoves, they're not actually hot. The latest ones feature one big hob that only heats up where it comes in contact with the pot, so there's less wasted energy.

Which kitchen trends do you think are currently most dominant?

Glass splashbacks have had a very strong following in the past few years, and for good reason - you don't have the grout issues you get with many tiles and you can add a colour backing to them. You can also write on them like a whiteboard, which is brilliant for shopping lists and must-do notes.

Stainless steel or white appliances – which is your preference?

Stainless steel. The new ones don't show finger marks and the price difference is narrowing. Coloured appliances are also fun – it's an economical way to bring colour into a neutral kitchen. But steer clear of mirror finishes – unless you're a Windex fan.

What's the best kitchen benchtop you've ever seen?

I recently wrote about a benchtop in an Adelaide house that was made from natural limestone imbedded with tiny fossils – a lovely alternative to reconstituted stone at about the same price.

What's the most luxurious kitchen component you've ever seen?

An LCD screen. In one house I visited, the owner had her favourite pictures rotating on the screen as a backdrop, and it was wirelessly networked so she could check email, look up recipes and chat to friends. She was a businesswoman and keen cook, so it worked well.

Drawers or cupboards?

Big drawers; particularly broad, deep pot drawers. I love them because everything is so much more accessible. Kitchens are now being designed with users in mind – not all of us are basketball players who can reach to the ceiling.

Contact an interior designer in your area today to discover kitchen trends that will suit your home: